In Making A Map
by VulpeculaStarr
Summary: The Marauders are creating their infamous Marauder's map and in the process they need some protection spells to keep it safe. Now, I wonder what enchantments there are going to be. Written for the QL Season 4!


**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, places, or spells**

 **A/N: I hope you enjoy this! It was written for the Quidditch League! :D**

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FALMOUTH FALCONS, CHASER 2

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Prompt(s)-

Harry Potter Quote: "Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business." and whatever else you want :)

Optional Prompts-

(word) dangerous

(phrase) 'Under lock and key'

(colour) cherry

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There was a small commotion at the door as two animals - a deer and a black dog - walked into the shack below the giant tree with their heads bent against the pouring rain. The black dog suddenly reared up on it's hind legs and a boy with tousled raven hair stood in it's place. The deer also stood up on it's lanky back legs and became a boy - this one with large glasses and bright, emerald eyes.

"James? James, do you have the map?" the one who had taken the dog's place asked loudly.

The other boy dug around in his now wet robes and drew a folded piece of parchment which had miraculously survived the rain. He handed the paper to the first and looked around the shadowy room before calling out. "Moony? Wormtail? Are you two there?"

There was a creak as two other boys walked from the adjoining room, the first was tall and lanky and holding a vial of some sort of liquid in his hand while the second was shivering and wet as if he had just swam in the lake. "James, Sirius, why are you two so late? Was Evans holding you after the party?"

"No, Professor McGonagall," the boy with glasses said. "She was patrolling the hallway, Sirius and I had to distract her before we snuck out. It was too dangerous to go before we knew she was gone. And then on our way here, he decided to fall into a lake of mud."

Sirius scowled and pushed the other boy. "I did not _decide_ to fall in, James! It was too dark to see and the puddle looked like solid ground."

"You got the map at least," the lanky boy said, he raised the vial to his lips and finished it with a look of disgust on his face. "Wolfsbane never tasted good." he muttered as Sirius spread the map onto the old table.

"Peter, get over here!" Sirius looked at the wet boy who was still shivering by the door. "We need Wormtail to complete the Marauders!"

Peter shuffled over and looked at the map which was speckled with moving names and dots even if it was night-time. It seemed that several groups of Gryffindors were still partying in their dorms as their dots were moving around in clumps at the Gryffindor Tower. "What are we doing today?" he asked Sirius.

"I don't know, Remus?" Sirius looked at the werewolf who was studying the map with a look of thought written on his face.

"I think we should start with some protection spells," Remus said slowly. "That would minimize the danger of this landing in the wrong hands."

"The wrong hands," Sirius elbowed James with a grin. "I have just the idea for that!"

"A code of some sort? Something to activate the map's magic?" James rubbed his side where Sirius had hit him. "That hurt, Sirius!"

"A phrase would be best, something easy to remember," Remus added. "Something we could quickly say."

"'I love Marauders'?" Peter suggested hesitantly, that quickly was declined for being too easy to guess and out of place.

"Well, what are we into?" Remus asked the boys around him. "Mischief, right?"

"How about 'mischief managed'?" Sirius said.

"No, we want to activate the magic, not close it off so managed wouldn't fit there," James answered with a shake of his head. "How about something else?"

"'I swear I'm up to mischief?" Remus looked around.

"'I solemnly swear I am up to no good'; how about that?" James grinned. "That's good, right? We can use the 'mischief managed' to deactivate the map's magic!"

Remus nodded in agreement. "Sounds good."

Remus and James pointed their wands at the map and said the protection charm, the map started to glow a red and the Marauders stepped away from the table with satisfied looks on each of their faces. The ink on the map started to bleed a cherry red before it dissolved into the paper and was gone as if it was never there.

~o~

"Remus!" Sirius called to the werewolf with an ecstatic grin on his face. When he reached his friend's side he lowered his voice and hissed. "You locked the map in the box last night, right?"

"Of course," Remus huffed. "I'm not irresponsible and you know that! Especially not with something like the map. It's under lock and key in my dorm room and everyone knows not to go poking around in there; it's safe, Sirius."

Sirius nodded in relief and glanced around at the crowd of red and gold. "We are meeting again tonight," he whispered, his voice barely audible through the low roar. "James wanted to add some _extra_ spells he just learned. For protection, of course."

"I'll be there," Remus sighed. "Have you told Peter?"

"Not yet, but I will in the Great Hall, don't worry," Sirius answered. "Come on, I want all the Marauders present, James said it would be really funny."

"Of course it will be," Remus nodded following Sirius and the rest of the Gryffindors towards the Great Hall. James had gone ahead looking for Peter and the two other boys guessed that they were already at their normal spots at the Gryffindor tables.

"James! Peter!" Sirius called running ahead of Remus. "Did you fill Peter in?"

"Of course I did," James answered. "That is what I came here early for, why else? To grab extra butter for the next prank?"

"I was thinking yes," Remus said, pointing to his hand that had a small package in it, "unless that is something else and not butter."

"It is," James nodded. "I was thinking of buttering up some of the professors!"

"Are you s-sure you want to do t-that?" Peter stammered surprised. "They're professors, James! You could get into some serious trouble!"

"Since when did that stop us?" Sirius gave a bark of laughter. "We've done worse, like sneaking out every time there is a full moon."

"Right," James glanced up at the golden staff table before back to the boys around him. "Meet me in the Shrieking Shack, it's important for the map."

~o~

Remus shook his head and spread the map out on the table. "What did you want to add? More protection charms?"

"In a way," James said with a mischievous smile. "Just in case Severus tries to grab a piece of this awesomeness, we should make it like an insulting prank sheet."

"'A piece of this awesomeness'?" Sirius laughed and playfully pushed James. "What?"

"If he wanted to steal it we should insult him?" Remus raised an eyebrow. "If you say so even if it does sound, strange and highly doubtful."

"Well, what are we going to put?" Peter asked. "As an insult to Severus, I mean."

"I was thinking some funny phrases," James said slyly.

"Like 'Mr. Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business'?" Remus suggested. It was the first thing that had come to his mind when thinking of insulting somebody like Severus so he decided it was a good first try.

"Exactly like that!" James grinned. "Now, we need everyone else's insults!"


End file.
